Amlurith D'Arguth
Born in Menzoberranzan, Amlurith lived her first years as any other drow female first daughter. Upon reaching her adolescence, she had already witnessed the horrors of following Lloth. Her brother was given to a demon to apeace him, a ruse by the hands of Kellarthe, matron mother of House D’Argoth, a priestess of Loth and an adept witch. Her mother, Vierna Dárguth, brought back her son but the child returned as an undead. Vierna sealed a pact with Kellarthe’s demon and gave her soul to it, falling the house in her hands. For a period, Vierna became Matron Mother of house D’argoth, keeping at her side her current husband Ventree, and watching her daughters closely. Vierna wanted Amlurith to follow her path as priestess of Lloth, but even more she wanted another witch. Amlurith showed some potential for magic, but not by demons. Amlurith could mimic any spell that she witnessed just by moving her hands, dancing and singing special tunes. The child refused to take part in blood sacrifices, and proved to be a happy-go-lucky troublemaker, much looked up by male drow. When the House depended on Vierna’s exploits to get slaves, Amlurith took the opportunity of being less watched to follow her heart and help some drow and slaves… Soon she became a protegé of a drow lady named Kyrith, who had been watching her for some time… Kyrith eventually revealed her faith in Elistraee. Amlurith was taken from Menzoberranzan at 66. The child was endangered by her mother’s run, which left her homeless. Kyrith Brightkeep took the girl to Erelhei-Cinlu, keeping her concealed under the name of Shenéyrune and under the custody of her trusted friend the bard Kelminite Throgarth. He teached the girl lessons about old tales and old history of the city, the nearby regions and some uncommon lore. Amlurith was expected to behave as all other drow, and so Kelminite encouraged her use of magic to disguise herself in the evil world as one more. The girl would behave as any acolyte for the Lolth priesthood for her safety in town. Her appearances in taverns as dancer and singer earned her a reputation among male drow in the city, especially when reaching the year for her Run. She participated, faking the death of an elf, gained adulthood honorably in her people, celebrated her 100 years, and then secretly freed the elven minstrel. Later on Amlurith was startled when at a reunion with Kyrith the elf appeared with her mentor. Turned out that the elf, Swiftlin Xayflare, was a partner for Qilué’s order and was very pleased to inform Kyrith of Amlurith’s kindness with prisoners. Kelminite took Amlurith to diverse cities after her adulthood embracing. They traveled far and deep into the Underdark, facing dangers together, and entertaining both friends and foes. Everywhere they went Kelminite found allies, in places and races that Amlurith watched in marvel. They traveled to diverse if not most cities of the Underdark. For decades they performed in the eyes of everyone, joining merchant caravans sometimes, gaining profit and fame, yet in darkness when the shows were over, they helped prisoners and slaves escape into freedom. In such a business the day came that Kelminite was trapped and killed, in front of Amlurith. She was to be killed as well, but was taken as a slavegirl and eventually sold to a noble house in southern drow city Calimshan. She had just reached her 146th year. Under her new master things went very differently. Treated as a mere whore, she was taken to guests to both entertain and bed. Refusal meant hours of “enlightment”in a dungeon after being lashed and punched heavily. The year was coming to an end when her bedchamber became disturbed and flooded with blood. She looked up and saw Kyrith, who had just thrown two guards into the bed, both with their throats cut side to side. She took Amlurith out of the city, into the Underdark, home. Kyrith had been severely wounded, her left arm had been replaced by a silvery adamantite replacement. She had been traveling in other planes, quested for a secret mission when the accident took place. She barely made it alive… Amlurith tried in vain to get details of what she was doing in such place. Kyrith just seemed enraged that no one went to get Amlurith although they knew… “They?” Kyrith sighted and said no more. After that event Kyrith took the girl as her protegé. She became a mentor, teaching her the ways of Eilistraee. Amlurith savored every moment, learning and putting into practice the teachings. They helped strangers, healed, freed slaves… Whenever their path crossed evil, Kyrith faced it, showing Amlurith that evil had to be defeated swifty so the dark brothers wouldn’t suffer much. She told Amlurith of the surface and its wonders, of the Land of Light in which all races lived in harmony, not hiding. They traveled from city to city, Kyrith being surprised at the people that Amlurith atracted, some people that remembered her as Kelminite’s bardic daughter. Many winters passed, and from the south, they returned to Menzoberranzan. There, they contacted Quilue’s minions and Kyrith decided to take a new course, to Hellgate Keep. She said she had business there, and that Amlurith should stay at the temple near Silverymoon in case she needed help. Once again Kyrith had a silent plan or mission to accomplish, and Amlurith had to stay behind. The drow reached Eilistree temple, and Kyrith left Amlurith with tears in her eyes. Amlurith had a bad feeling about it… It was her 189th year. The service required pristesses to go into Erelhei-Cinlu and help slaves and prisoners. Amlurith volunteered many times, establishing a show in the infamous drow citadel, that served as a base for the good drow deeds. She entertained as did her praise teaching some young drow how to play the harp, sing and dance for Eilistree, all keeping her mind busy for the long wait ahead… Kyrith’s call for help came one night, after 12 years. It was in the shape of a creature of the surface, a rat. It brought Amlurith a piece of parchment, with a small pin depicting a silvery harp. The rat took the shape of a human male of dark clothes and long braided red hair, whom Amlurith instinctively got away from. She did not fail to notice that he had only one gloved hand, as well as a scar that went fron the back of his head forking to his face and towards his left arm. His piercing grey eyes looked deeply sad, as he told her about Kyrith. She had been hunting a demon that controlled Hellgate keep. She got to him, after all these years, as “they” wanted. She was uncovered… And he arrived too late. Kyrith’s dying wish was for Amlurith to keep her greatest possession… the silver harp… Amlurith cried both in pain and in anger, as well as in realization of her mentor’s business… She was a Harper… and had died a Harper’s death… In the name of the greater good… The male human vanished without saying his name. Later on Amlurith gained strenght to read the small parchment. “My dear, sweet little one… I fear I won’t return from my journey, this time things are… difficult… But your memory pulls me to go ahead, for you and for the others as well… I harp… And I know that you will follow that path if given the chance. I give you my greatest, humblest possession besides my heart… This will identify you to them… This will bring them closer to you… This is a great burden that you may not wish to keep, but I know you will… I have raised a reflection of myself, and so I trust I will live on. I wish I would have been your blood mother, but at least I know I am mother to your soul… Live well… Die well. Eilistree bless us. Kyrith.” Amlurith was brokenhearted, but her faith gave her strenght to keep her “business” a little longer. She left Erelhei-Cinlu two winters later, as she received a notice from a servant of Quilué. She had turned 203 years old, so she was no longer a youth but a woman that could lookout for herself, and who had gained enough knowledge about her own kin. She had to complete the quest in which Kyrith failed. She had to stop Lloth’s coming into Faerun, which had only been delayed. Help was on the way, but someone closer was needed… Amlurith took her staff, her daggers and her sleep poisoned darts. She looked around, at her little entertaining shop… at her students… She vowed them farewell, her family… Then she went on, leaving the place in hands of a priestess that lived in Erelhei’s vecinity. With that, she left. The greater good needed her, and more than anything, she would honor Kyrith’s sacrifice at all cost. The invitation for harping was on… And she had to do so. Amlurith took off to the Underdark, looking for answers, clues, trails… She went on for almost 3 more winters looking for answers… All headed to the surface, to the Land of Light. She had never been in the surface before, just near it, during her Run… but that was so many years ago… She was scared but trusted Eilistraee’s words, and so she went on to the surface’s trail. And so, her greatest quest begun. Amlurith joined the crew of the Cutlass, battling against demons and evil, and eventually has helped the Harpers on personal requests. More adventures are to come, but those tales of this Spellsinger are another story... Category:Drow Category:Worshipers of Eilistraee Category:Clerics of Eilistraee